Marshals Museum Flagpole Dedication Set For Tuesday

According to a news release from the Marshals Museum Office, a brief program will recognize the donors to the project, the Marshals Service will present a flag, and the flag will be raised at the site of the planned $50 million, 52,260-square-foot national museum.

The Marshals Museum Board of Directors will attend. Board Chairman Doug Babb and Museum Foundation Board Chairman Robert Young will address the audience.

In the event of inclement weather, the dedication event will be moved to the River Park Events Building next door to the planned museum, according to museum officials.

The January installation of the flagpole on the museum property next to Harry E. Kelley River Park on Riverfront Drive was a multi-volunteer event. Contributing to the project were Anglen Crane of Pocola, AR Truck Center, Arkhola Sand and Gravel Co., Butler and Cook, Griffin Construction Co., KP Electric Supply, Mickle-Wagner-Coleman, Smith Auto Group and Trotter Electric. The Rotary Club of Fort Smith has agreed to cover electricity costs to illuminate the flag.

A quarterly Marshals Museum Board meeting will follow the flagpole and flag dedication at 11:30 a.m. at the Riverpark Events Building, West Room.

Board Member and Circuit Judge Jim Spears will oversee the presentation of a painting.

Agenda items include a financial report and review of the fiscal year 2012 independent audit report by Treasurer Sam T. Sicard.

Jessica Hayes, vice president of museum operations, will give a museum programming report, and Jim Dunn, museum president and chief executive officer, will report on the progress of the project to the board.

The planned abstract star-shaped environmentally friendly museum will sit on the Arkansas riverfront, overlooking the Oklahoma border, formerly Indian Territory. Plans call for cafe and event space, classrooms, a theater, river-facing terrace and a Hall of Honor for the more than 200 marshals and deputy marshals killed in the line of duty since President George Washington established the Marshals Service on Sept. 24, 1789.